A second man charged in a murder-for-hire conspiracy in Wilkes-Barre pleaded guilty to reduced charges Monday as his trial was scheduled to begin.
Gregory Thomas Warren, 42, of Bronx, New York, was charged with conspiring with Dashawn “Hef” William Nelson, 31, of Kingston, and Gregory DuClaire, 41, of Wilkes-Barre, to murder a man in retaliation for a previous shooting.
The charges alleged Nelson was angered that the unidentified victim had shot up his business in Wilkes-Barre, so he offered DuClaire $5,000 to “take care of” the problem. Nobody was injured as a result of the scheme.
Warren was due to stand trial Monday but instead pleaded guilty to criminal use of a communication facility in exchange for additional charges, including conspiracy to commit murder, being withdrawn.
Luzerne County Judge Michael T. Vough accepted the plea and set sentencing for March 4.
Assistant District Attorney Julian F. Truskowski prosecuted the case.
Nelson previously reached a similar plea deal and pleaded guilty to criminal use of a communication facility in exchange for the more serious charges being withdrawn.
He was sentenced in December to five years of probation.
Court records show DuClaire’s case is still pending. He is due to appear for another hearing before Vough on Feb. 2.